Special Education

CLASSROOMS

Special Education at Murray

Murray Middle School is working to service all special education students in the manner that works best for each student.

Students receive services based on the needs addressed in each student’s Individual Education Program (IEP). We offer pull-out classes in Math, Reading/Writing, and Study Skills. In Study Skills for Learning, students focus on increasing school success and independence. Inclusion classes are also offered in Math, English, Social Studies, and Science. These classes are taught by both a regular and a special education teacher.

Students may also receive Speech and Language, Occupational Therapy, Adaptive Physical Education, and/or Social Work services. No matter what the student’s needs, the Special Education Department works to provide an appropriate setting in order to ensure individual student success.

Reading Strategies:This class focuses on improving students’ reading and writing skills. This two period class, which takes the place of English, focuses on intensive writing and reading strategies to improve decoding and word recognition, spelling, comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, and test-taking skills. Classroom components include: whole class activities, independent reading, small group instruction, and instructional reading using Read 180 software on the computer.

Essential English:This course is designed around Read Naturally and System 44, individualized reading programs. Students work on word analysis, vocabulary development, and increasing reading fluency. Within the program, comprehension and written language skills are also developed at their instructional level. In addition, students read novels as a class and engage in activities to improve their skills as readers and writers.

Essential Math:Students focus on improving basic math skills. They study number patterns and adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing whole numbers, fractions and decimals. Geometry, time and money measures, and data in graphs and tables are also studied. The class size is small with an emphasis on hands on activities and visual models to improve math understanding.

Study Skills:This class will focus on learning and practicing skills that can be used in all subject areas. Study Skills teaches skills, concepts, and behaviors that enable students to be more successful. The goal of this course is that each student will become organized, responsible, accountable, and actively involved in his or her learning.

Inclusion Classes:Students may receive special education instruction within their regular education classes. Several core classes are co-taught with a special education teacher and a regular education teacher. At this time, inclusion classes are: American History, Geography, Life Science, Earth Science, Pre-Algebra, Algebra, and English 8.